Søren Kierkegaard is considered one of the great thinkers of recent times. A Dutch philosopher, theologian, and social critic, he rejected many the philosophies of his day. Kierkegaard’s focus was not so much on reason, but on experience and human existence. González (2010) describes Kierkegaard’s view that existence, “takes place in anguish, doubt, and despair” (p. 395). This emphasis on existence made him the founder of existentialism. Kierkegaard contributed to a number of different disciplines—philosophy, psychology, and theology to name a few. His contributions to psychology and to integrating psychology with theology are both intriguing and profound.
Kierkegaard’s extensional struggle with sin is revealed in the deep sense of guilt and despair that he experienced. Kierkegaard also meaningfully explores the Christian doctrine of grace that offers unconditional forgiveness and acceptance. Podmore (2009) describes how this creates a “therapeutic hermeneutic,” Through the curative integration of a theology of grace with a psychology of despair, [elucidating] a model of selfhood which finds its restorative integration in heterogeneous relation to an Absolute Other in whom the self discovers its unconditional (self-) acceptance (p. 176). Only through honest, transparent reflection of the self, before the One who knows us intimately and offers grace, can there be hope to the despair that sin brings. …show more content…
The origin of Kierkegaard’s sense of despair begins with the trauma of a difficult childhood along with the revelation of a family secret so disturbing that it shook Kierkegaard to his soul. These experiences, accompanied by a deep sense of guilt and shame over his own sin, contributed to the despondency that Kierkegaard suffered. Kierkegaard describes the sense of despair as the hopelessness of not being able to die. The experience is a deep and profound inability to find peace, even in dying—a living experience of death (Podmore, 2009, p. 177).
Podmore (2009) explains how Kierkegaard’s struggle with despair reveals a profound psychological of understanding sin. He then goes on to establish how Kierkegaard’s equally insightful theological understanding of grace, answers Kierkegaard’s existential struggle with despair. Only when one is laid bare before God, hiding no part of the self or the horror of its sin, can one receive forgiveness and (self-) acceptance before God. This forgiveness and acceptance nourishes and heals the brokenness that sin produces in our souls (Podmore, 2009, p. 181). Kierkegaard also addresses how a refusal to receive grace is, as Podmore (2009) describes it, a “narcissistic grasp at self-creation” (p. 182). The self refuses to stand before God, accept the truth of his helplessness over sin, and believe that God can actually forgive (save) him. The self judges how much of a sinner it is and determines whether it is forgivable. This is the last grasp of the self to save itself before dying and receiving God’s grace and forgiveness. Podmore’s perspective of Kierkegaard concurs with what I consider to be a biblical view of the psychology of sin and the doctrine of grace. Podmore (2009) aptly describes Kierkegaard’s utter hopelessness at resolving sin on a human level, then contrasts this with the great hope that, even though it is humanly impossible, all things are possible with God. Podmore (2009) quotes Kierkegaard’s understanding of how God forgets our sin, Forgetting, when God does it in relation to sin, is the opposite of creating, since to create is to bring forth from nothing, and to
Kierkegaard’s extensional struggle with sin is revealed in the deep sense of guilt and despair that he experienced. Kierkegaard also meaningfully explores the Christian doctrine of grace that offers unconditional forgiveness and acceptance. Podmore (2009) describes how this creates a “therapeutic hermeneutic,” Through the curative integration of a theology of grace with a psychology of despair, [elucidating] a model of selfhood which finds its restorative integration in heterogeneous relation to an Absolute Other in whom the self discovers its unconditional (self-) acceptance (p. 176). Only through honest, transparent reflection of the self, before the One who knows us intimately and offers grace, can there be hope to the despair that sin brings. …show more content…
The origin of Kierkegaard’s sense of despair begins with the trauma of a difficult childhood along with the revelation of a family secret so disturbing that it shook Kierkegaard to his soul. These experiences, accompanied by a deep sense of guilt and shame over his own sin, contributed to the despondency that Kierkegaard suffered. Kierkegaard describes the sense of despair as the hopelessness of not being able to die. The experience is a deep and profound inability to find peace, even in dying—a living experience of death (Podmore, 2009, p. 177).
Podmore (2009) explains how Kierkegaard’s struggle with despair reveals a profound psychological of understanding sin. He then goes on to establish how Kierkegaard’s equally insightful theological understanding of grace, answers Kierkegaard’s existential struggle with despair. Only when one is laid bare before God, hiding no part of the self or the horror of its sin, can one receive forgiveness and (self-) acceptance before God. This forgiveness and acceptance nourishes and heals the brokenness that sin produces in our souls (Podmore, 2009, p. 181). Kierkegaard also addresses how a refusal to receive grace is, as Podmore (2009) describes it, a “narcissistic grasp at self-creation” (p. 182). The self refuses to stand before God, accept the truth of his helplessness over sin, and believe that God can actually forgive (save) him. The self judges how much of a sinner it is and determines whether it is forgivable. This is the last grasp of the self to save itself before dying and receiving God’s grace and forgiveness. Podmore’s perspective of Kierkegaard concurs with what I consider to be a biblical view of the psychology of sin and the doctrine of grace. Podmore (2009) aptly describes Kierkegaard’s utter hopelessness at resolving sin on a human level, then contrasts this with the great hope that, even though it is humanly impossible, all things are possible with God. Podmore (2009) quotes Kierkegaard’s understanding of how God forgets our sin, Forgetting, when God does it in relation to sin, is the opposite of creating, since to create is to bring forth from nothing, and to